Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Maury County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbia, Tennessee 38401
Friday, January 5, 1996 21:55 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The noninstrument-rated pilot filed an IFR flight plan and proceeded at night on a cross-country flight to Columbia, TN. During arrival, he contacted Memphis ARTCC and requested the VOR/DME approach to the Maury County Airport, which was a straight-in approach from the northwest. The initial approach fix (IAF) and the final approach fix (FAF) were 11.4 and 5.4 miles northwest of the airport. At about 2136 CST, ARTCC cleared the pilot to descend and maintain 3,000 feet until past the IAF. At 2141, ARTCC informed the pilot that the airplane was 500' low; he responded that he was climbing back to 3,000 feet. At 2142, ARTCC cleared the pilot for the approach. The last communication with the pilot was at 2147, when radar service was terminated. At about 2155, the airplane collided with trees and crashed approximately 10 miles southeast of the airport. The weather (at 2200) was in part: 400 feet overcast, visibility 1-3/4 miles with fog and drizzle, and wind from 030 degrees at 4 knots. Witnesses reported that they heard the airplane circling before it crashed. The wreckage was found distributed over an area of about 600 feet. Toxicology tests of the pilot's blood and liver fluid showed 11 mcg/ml and 8 mcg/ml, respectively, of Butalbital. Butalbital is a barbiturate/sedative and is not approved by the FAA for use while operating an aircraft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the pilot to follow procedures/directives by flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) without proper training/certification; and his failure (or inability) to follow proper IFR procedures and maintain proper altitude during an instrument approach, which resulted in a collision with obstacles (trees) and the ground. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, instrument weather conditions, and pilot impairment from use of a medication that is not approved by the FAA for use while operating an aircraft.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/5/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2155 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | COLUMBIA |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38401 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | MAURY COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MRC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 10 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 135 |
| Airport Elevation | 677 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2200 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MRC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 677 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1.75 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 443 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 5 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1147 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:46AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N44DJ |
| NTSB Number | ATL96FA029 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 210H |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 210H |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 21059016 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 5 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4400 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | KARL J. SCHMITTER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 132 NATHANIELS CROSSING DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | COLUMBIA |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38401 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LUK |
| Departure City | CINCINNATI |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1928 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MRC |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |